Danielle:

1. You still haven't said where you and the plant(s) are, and it _does_
make a difference. MY bedroom is in So. Fla., where I currently have the
windows open enjoying our brief spring, before the dog days of summer set
in. The temps are high 70s - low 80s day, low 70s - upper 60s at night, and
the humidity is up around 70-80% most of the time. YOUR bedroom could be
nearby, with similar conditions, or it could be in, say, Michigan or Maine,
where I suspect the heat would still be on, the humidity quite low, and the
light level considerably dimmer ... On that note, "darkish" does not sound
promising. Phals like _bright_ indirect light, and some even enjoy a little
bit of early morning sun -- esp. if you are in fact "up north" where the
sunlight is far less intense than here.

2. Your "figuring" would be sound if it had the right starting points G.
But when you start from false premises, you _can't_ end up with a good
result ...

A. We don't pamper our plants. It doesn't make good business sense. If
a plant is not going to be sturdy and perform well, I'd rather lose it while
it's in the compot, or the 2" pot, than 2-3 years later -- or worse yet,
have it returned by a dissatisfied customer if it actually blooms and sells.
My bench space is valuable, and my reputation even more so! I can't speak
for all growers, but I have to believe that those who stay in business for
any length of time operate on pretty much the same principle.

B. These days, box store prices are often considerably higher than the
prices that real growers charge, at least around here. I had a woman walk
up to my table at a recent show and point to a plant, she said (in an
accusatory tone) "I bought one of these at Home Depot last week for $24.95."
The same plant on my table was marked $20.00. When I pointed that out, I
got back "Oh, well, the 'bottoms' were bigger" -- which most probably means
the wholesaler put a small plant into a bigger pot so as to charge a higher
price [at the risk of the health of the plant -- overpotting just naturally
leads to watering problems, because a small plant in a big pot cannot dry
out fast enough]. I have seen numerous similar examples ...

C. Even if your plant(s) originated with a reputable grower, they almost
certainly went through some severe trials after leaving the nursery, before
you bought it/them. Loaded into a truck that goes from one pick-up to the
next, and then from one drop-off to the next; then into the grocery or big
box store itself, where care and conditions may vary from "OK" to
"abysmal" -- last winter, the Home Depot near me actually remembered to load
up its orchids onto a cart to be carried inside for the night during a
severe (for us -- near-freeze predicted) cold snap; unfortunately, no one
actually wheeled the cart in at closing time ... but the store still put the
plants out for sale afterward.

You needn't and shouldn't spend your life savings to have a nice orchid
collection. Go slow: Buy something in bloom every 2-3 months, preferably
at a local show or from a local nursery so you know you're getting healthy
plants. Once you're comfortable growing those, buy a few
"near-flowering-size" and enjoy the thrill of having the plants actually
bloom for the first time under _your_ care. Then you can move on to
seedlings, and then compots, and then flasks ... if you care to go that far
down the road of orchid addiction G. But don't let this one purchase turn
you off, if it doesn't work out.

Good growing, Kenni

"Danielle" wrote in message
oups.com...
Shes in my bedroom in a dark-ish corner that has three windows two feet
frpom the corner on each wall. any where else it is blindingly bright.
I wanted to make sure i could grow a "cheap" orchid before i go for an
expensive one, I really don't get much money.... So i figure, if i can
keep one plant that hasn't had the most perfect care alive , i can keep
"pampered" ones alive as well..... if i get a new flower spike next
fall.... ill go spend my lifesavings on these plants because they
really are the most beautiful and fascinating things i have ever
seen.......